RICHLANDS — Dixon’s Matt Gardner literally took one for the team Wednesday night.

The senior suffered a right knee injury as he scored the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth inning on a double steal in the Bulldogs’ 4-2 win over Croatan in the championship game of the Touchstone Energy Baseball Classic at Richlands High.

Gardner’s cleat got caught up at home plate as he slid. After scoring, he got up to celebrate the run that gave the Bulldogs a 3-2 lead that was set up by Zack Sicknick’s steal of second. However, he quickly fell to the ground in pain.

The game was delayed for about 25 minutes as tournament officials waited for an ambulance to take Gardner to the hospital.

“He got hurt pretty good,” said Dixon assistant coach Nick Raynor, who spoke on the behalf head coach Jack Brown, who declined comment. “But this was a big run for us. Matt also pitched his butt off tonight. It’s good that we can take this trophy home for him.”

Croatan coach Sean Coley was disappointed to see Gardner get hurt in what was a competitive game between the Bulldogs (10-3) and the Cougars (7-5).

“I just didn’t want that kid to get hurt. That’s the bottom line” Coley said. “That kid got hurt and you never want to see that. Baseball is played to have fun and to see a kid get hurt just eats at me, regardless of who wins.”

Sicknick had plenty to do with the deciding run.

Gardner led off the top of the eighth by getting hit by a pitch. He then reached second in a passed ball and made it to third on an infield hit by Sicknick. Sicknick then headed toward second on a steal, which forced a throw from Croatan catcher Taylor Wright. That’s when Gardner headed home and scored.

“It’s something we work on in practice,” Raynor said. “We executed it to perfection.”

Dixon added an insurance run when Sicknick scored on an error. Right-handed pitcher Isaac Bussell then got three outs in the bottom of the eighth to seal the win.

The Bulldogs didn’t seem fazed by Gardner’s injury.

“He’s a good player and it was tough,” said Dixon senior Quinn Ryan, the tournament’s most valuable player. “But even though he was hurt, we still needed to play our game. We kept him in our prayers and stayed focused on winning the game for him.”

Croatan sent the game into extra innings when Hunter Woodside doubled in a run with one out. The Cougars appeared headed for the win when John Ferry singled with a man on second, but a long relay throw from Dixon center fielder J.P. Padgett was on target and got the runner at home to end the seventh.

“Just an amazing throw,” Ryan said. “We can rely on J.P. to make those kinds of throws in a game like this. In this situation, we want the ball in his hands every time.”

The Bulldogs certainly know how to win the Touchstone Energy Baseball Classic. This marked Dixon’s fourth title in five years.

The Bulldogs were also coming off another close win. They defeated Swansboro 5-4 on Tuesday.

“Our club has been prepared to do this,” Raynor said. “We work real hard in practice and kind of strive on these close games.”